HIV Prevalence Rate Worries Masindi Leaders|News

Leaders in Masindi district are worried with the rate at which HIV/AIDS is spreading within the district like bush fire as people bonk live as if factories stopped manufacturing condoms.

The leaders expressed their worries about HIV/AIDS prevalence rate during a meeting organized by Child Education and Development Organization (CEDO) at district health officer’s resource room under strengthening community facility linkage referral system pilot project that is funded by TASO and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is being implemented within Masindi district. The meeting was held on 15th February 2016.

Richard Kiiza, the principal assistant secretary for Masindi district local government said that, much as national HIV/AIDS prevalence rate stands at 7.3%, Masindi’s prevalence rate goes beyond up to 8.1% adding that, oil development activities in Bunyoro sub region has resulted into increased prostitution because people employed by oil companies have money and target prostitutes for their services.

“I am reliably informed that, in Masindi, some prostitutes are providing their services on credit to clients who do not have cash and they are allowed to pay at a future date after satisfying their libido”, he revealed adding that, however it were not the prostitutes leading to worrying HIV/AIDS prevalence because most of them are accustomed to use of condoms.

Hebert Wandera, the project officer working with CEDO said that, HIV prevalence is high commercial sex workers, cane cutters, youths out of school and bodaboda whom they are targeting for HIV testing and counseling (HCT).

Wandera identified hotspots for HIV prevalence as Bulima town board, Kikingura trading center, Ntooma and Isagara trading centers in Bwijanga sub county; Mvule lodge, Desert lodge and Kijura in Central division; Kiroya in Karujubu division; Kabango town board, Towasati, Terera, and Nybyeya trading centers in Budongo sub county while in Pakanyi Sub county prevalence rate is high at Kyatiri town board.

Yusuf Namanya, TASO’s social service coordinator said that, the approach of funding CBOs to do some activities is one way of building capacity because TASO can’t do everything adding that their aim is to increase access to HIV/AIDS services by enrolling more clients on treatment to combat the spread of the killer virus.